Testcard - Lines

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 21 / 6 / 2008

Label: Knave
Format: CD

intro

Excellent dance-flavoured debut album from electronic trio Testcard, the new group of one-time Marlowe singer frontman, Simon Bradshaw

From the early days of new wave in the City of Liverpool, the sounds of disco have also been served as a main dish. This started with Lori and the Chameleons, then survived the turn of the century mainly thanks to Ladytron and now here we have 'Lines', the debut by Testcard. This album features a lot of your usual bumping and grinding. Singer Simon Bradshaw is a crooner by nature and faces a tough task to keep abreast as those merciless disco beats bang on. A moderate drinker and non-smoker himself, he manages very well, standing tall in fine style against Testcard's all digital rhythm section. Testcard are only a trio and produce a big sound. Simon Bradshaw fronted Marlowe - who had two albums out on Probe Plus - before leading Testcard to a place in which melody, composition and dance music meet. One of his finest moments comes to date on 'Two Floors' as lyrical fantasy sets the pace for a musical journey through dreamland. 'Lines', however, knows its borders. The album builds on Bradshaw's wit and joy of words and rhymes, shamelessly using outdated disco beats, and ultimately finding premature wisdom. 'Lines' gets you where you'd aspire to be. You will enjoy dance music and you will not feel like a daft punk.

Track Listing:-